Leading UK School Academy Federation Installs Wyse Cloud Computing Solutions in Every Classroom

Wyse Technology, the global leader in cloud client computing, today announced that the Priory Federation, one of the largest academy federations in England, will be transforming classroom information technologies in its schools with a desktop visualisation solution based on Wyse thin client technology. Replacing PCs with Wyse thin clients will make teaching and learning with computers easier and more convenient for children, teachers and administrators.

The Priory Federation of Academies run four separate academies in Lincoln and Grantham. The first phase of the PC replacement programme has already started at its Priory Witham Academy which teaches children from three to eighteen years old and is moving into new buildings. The Federation’s academies operated several generations of PCs and found the systems’ variable performance created major support issues and were increasingly unsuitable for teaching and learning.

Having identified desktop virtualisation as an ideal solution, the Priory Federation chose a Wyse thin client solution because they require no management at the desktop and all changes can be done centrally. Additionally, the compact design of the Wyse thin clients meant units could be mounted behind the screen, keeping desk space clear and ensuring units couldn’t get knocked or damaged in a busy classroom. The low heat output and energy efficiency of the Wyse thin client solutions also adhere to higher thermal standards specified in the design of the new school buildings.

The first phase of the implementation at Priory Witham Academy was completed in summer 2010. Over 700 Wyse thin clients were installed in classrooms, concourse and staff areas with the full array of standard and rich multi-media applications delivered to the thin clients using Citrix XenApp.

Following this successful initial implementation, the federation will extend the Wyse solution to remainder of the Priory Witham academy with the solution implemented in its other academies over the next five years.

The response from teachers and children is extremely positive especially about the faster start-ups regardless of which client they use anywhere in the school. The reliability and compact design of the Wyse thin clients has allowed the school to create innovative teaching spaces within the new buildings. Each teaching room is set up with desks in the centre and then about thirty thin clients installed around the perimeter of the room. This would have been impossible to do with larger desktop PCs.

On plans to build on the success of the first phase, Antony Samson, assistant head teacher, Priory Witham Academy said: “Our goal is to get as close as possible to 100 percent thin clients because of the immediate benefits we’ve already seen in the classrooms and the school as a whole. Wyse and their cloud client computing solutions are critical to how the schools in the Priory Federation intend to harness ICT to support great teaching and learning. As a team we’re really learning how desktop virtualisation can replace fat PCs and deliver a much better experience for children and teachers alike.”

David Angwin, director of marketing, Wyse Technology said: “When we talk with teachers, their first and foremost requirement of classroom IT is that every desktop client starts up immediately without fail, giving access to the full spectrum of applications and content. As Priory is showing when you can rely classroom IT to deliver a superior end user experience every time, then a school can really make computing an integral part of teaching and learning.”

For more information about the Priory Federation of Academies implementation, please visit: http://www.wyse.com/solutions/education/index.asp.